CANADIAN BUTTER DUTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4855, 20 July 1925, Page 1

CANADIAN BUTTER DUTY

TREATY WITH AUSTRALIA. N.Z. GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATING. Now that Australia and Canada have concluded a commercial treaty New Zealand is likely to find itself in some respects at a disadvantage in trade with the northern Dominion. In the House of Representatives last week the member for Waikato (Mr J. A- Young) put a question on the subject to. the Prime Minister, and quoted a cabled statement by the Canadian Minister for Finance that under the new treaty special tariff rates would apply to the entry of Australian butter. The present Canadian duty of 3 cents a pound bn butter and honey would be reduced in both cases to 1 cent a pound. At present, Mr Young added, Canada was a very good customer for New Zealand dairy exports. From 1919 to 1923 the total New Zealand exoprts to Canada were £3,904,714, of which butter accounted for £734,351. He urged that the Prime Minister should make representations through the Minister for Customs to the Canadian Government in order that the proposed reduction in duty should apply equally to the New Zealand product. The matter was very important to the dairy industry, and it was desirable that action should be taken without delay. The Prime Minister said it had been intended that the Hon. W. Dbwnie Stewart should visit Canada while he was in North America, the, object being to discuss the question of tariff preference as it would apply to New Zealand. Unfortunately this had not been possible, partly on account ot the state of. Mr Dowhie Stewarts health. The New Zealand Government, however, had taken up the question, and had it under considetation at the moment in conjunction with the Canadian Government. Ths object was to arrive at some reciprocal arrangement which would permit New Zealand butter to enter Canada on the same terms as Australian.